MY SPIN

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BY JUN ESCALONA
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Yesterday in Antique

ANY time is a good time to tell stories of old times, as when our Antique province was in the hands of leaders who saw the need for improvements in the socioeconomic sector.
John Lamb, a Peace Corps volunteer from the state of Tennessee, saw the need for an actual condition map of Antique that will serve as basis for coming up with a true form land use map, that will provide planners and policymakers with facts and ideas about the province and what it needs to improve.
So he suggested the idea to then Governor Evelio, and that started it all. The governor made representations with the Philippine Air Force for the use of a light plane with which to use in our photographic mission.
The idea was to take pictures of the landscape of the province from Anini-y to Libertad. Piece by piece the pictures will be joined later in an imaginary shape of Antique – piece by piece, shot per shot, to see what really is there. And what it lacks in terms of infrastructure or agriculture.
So a 12-seater light plane was furnished us, one that Philippine Air Force pilots use in rain-seeding operations when called for during drought that threatens to destroy agricultural crops.
John was positioned at the western or left side of the plane, camera on the ready. This writer was at the eastern side. Upon reaching the southern tip of Anini-y, we turned going north. Then we started the photography session. We had 12 spools of 36-shooter films, John was cautioning me to use the films sparingly with each shot joining the other.
The plane was flying quite low and slow for us to see the contour of the land. We only got higher when John said we need to cover the mountains well considering the upland development program of the governor.
It was a rainy day and brown colored water could be seen through the lens, forming at the rivers and shore lines.
The scene below was breathtaking, including the majestic Madja-as “where Culasi is.” Or Culasi where Madja-as, whichever you prefer.
The documents, including the other necessary provincial profile, were used in developing a Provincial Comprehensive Plan, a master plan for the province.
Planning for development may have developed greatly improved by now since the era of the PCP.
When Gov. Evelio Javier went to the US on a scholarship grant, he gave the mantle of leadership to then congressman Enrique Zaldivar, with the Antique Upland Development Program exclusively under then Board Member Jovito C. Plameras Jr.
Governor Zaldivar is credited for establishing a reliable water system service in the capital town of San Jose de Buenavista.
The style of leadership of the new governor, Zaldivar was based on a development mapping study where development leads and development lags were identified per municipality.
We remember that inspecting projects done by contractors was one of our duties, for the sake of public information and interest.
The establishment of provincial nurseries province-wide, with assistance from the Netherlands government in the Antique Integrated Area Development (ANIAD) program was made during the term of Governor Plameras.
Not to be outdone, our erstwhile representative to congress, Cong. Ex Javier is credited with passing the Expanded Value Added-Tax law that had helped the government balance its debit and credit side of the national budget. No other law has surpassed the VAT and EVAT in earning more for the nation, the only downside being that it is the people that carry the extra tax load.
Cultural renaissance occurred during the incumbency of Gov. Sally Zaldivar Perez. Although tourism-oriented endeavor has started during Perez, it is now receiving a boost under the administration of Gov. Rhodora J. Cadiao, not to mention her historical, well-intended visit to Antiqueño sugarcane plantation workers in Negros Occidental sugar fields.
A program for the welfare of Antiqueño migratory sugarcane workers in Negros is now in place in the provincial government.
There are many improvements undertaken by the new provincial leadership, and some completion of uncompleted projects in the province, foremost of which are infrastructure projects that were started a decade ago by past governors but left to the elements by political practicality.
These are now happening as a matter of optimizing the movement of commerce of man, bringing agricultural products nearer the market, of keeping school children free from traffic harm as in the skyway at the Angel Salazar Jr. Memorial School.
The provincial airport, the Evelio B. Javier airport is being refurbished to take passenger airlines, and seaports are being improved, with a Roll-on-Roll-off Jetty port in the north.
These are just a few that is worth mentioning now, but we promise we will update you more the next time around./PN
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